Interactive brokers day trading patterns

Would I still be considered a pattern day trader if I engage in four or more day trades in one week, then refrain from day trading the next week? In general, once your account has been coded as a pattern day trader, the firm will continue to regard you as a pattern day trader even if you do not day trade for a five-day period.

This is because the firm will have a "reasonable belief" that you are a pattern day trader based on your prior trading activities. However, we understand that you may change your trading strategy. You should contact your firm if you have decided to reduce or cease your day trading activities to discuss the appropriate coding of your account.

This collateral could be sold out if the securities declined substantially in value and were subject to a margin call. The typical day trader, however, is flat at the end of the day i. Therefore, there is no collateral for the brokerage firm to sell out to meet margin requirements and collateral must be obtained by other means.

Accordingly, the higher minimum equity requirement for day trading provides the brokerage firm a cushion to meet any deficiencies in the account resulting from day trading. The credit arrangements for day-trading margin accounts involve two parties -- the brokerage firm processing the trades and the customer. The brokerage firm is the lender and the customer is the borrower. No, you can't use a cross-guarantee to meet any of the day-trading margin requirements.

Each day-trading account is required to meet the minimum equity requirement independently, using only the financial resources available in the account. What happens if the equity in my account falls below the minimum equity requirement? I'm always flat at the end of the day. Why do I have to fund my account at all? Why can't I just trade stocks, have the brokerage firm mail me a check for my profits or, if I lose money, I'll mail the firm a check for my losses?

It is saying you should be able to trade solely on the firm's money without putting up any of your own funds. This type of activity is prohibited, as it would put your firm and indeed the U. The money must be in the brokerage account because that is where the trading and risk is occurring. These funds are required to support the risks associated with day-trading activities. You can trade up to four times your maintenance margin excess as of the close of business of the previous day.

You should contact your brokerage firm to obtain more information on whether it imposes more stringent margin requirements. If you exceed your day-trading buying power limitations, your brokerage firm will issue a day-trading margin call to you.

Until the margin call is met, your day-trading account will be restricted to day-trading buying power of only two times maintenance margin excess based on your daily total trading commitment. Day trading in a cash account is generally prohibited. Day trades can occur in a cash account only to the extent the trades do not violate the free-riding prohibition of Federal Reserve Board's Regulation T. In general, failing to pay for a security before you sell the security in a cash account violates the free-riding prohibition.

If you free-ride, your broker is required to place a day freeze on the account. No, the rule applies to all day trades, whether you use leverage margin or not. For example, many options contracts require that you pay for the option in full. As such, there is no leverage used to purchase the options.

Nonetheless, if you engage in numerous options transactions during the day you are still subject to intra-day risk. You may not be able to realize the profit on the transaction that you had hoped for and may indeed incur substantial loss due to a pattern of day-trading options.

Again, the day-trading margin rule is designed to require that funds be in the account where the trading and risk is occurring. You should contact your firm if you have decided to reduce or cease your day trading activities to discuss the appropriate coding of your account.

This collateral could be sold out if the securities declined substantially in value and were subject to a margin call. The typical day trader, however, is flat at the end of the day i. Therefore, there is no collateral for the brokerage firm to sell out to meet margin requirements and collateral must be obtained by other means.

Accordingly, the higher minimum equity requirement for day trading provides the brokerage firm a cushion to meet any deficiencies in the account resulting from day trading. The credit arrangements for day-trading margin accounts involve two parties -- the brokerage firm processing the trades and the customer. The brokerage firm is the lender and the customer is the borrower. No, you can't use a cross-guarantee to meet any of the day-trading margin requirements.

Each day-trading account is required to meet the minimum equity requirement independently, using only the financial resources available in the account. What happens if the equity in my account falls below the minimum equity requirement? I'm always flat at the end of the day. Why do I have to fund my account at all? Why can't I just trade stocks, have the brokerage firm mail me a check for my profits or, if I lose money, I'll mail the firm a check for my losses?

It is saying you should be able to trade solely on the firm's money without putting up any of your own funds. This type of activity is prohibited, as it would put your firm and indeed the U. The money must be in the brokerage account because that is where the trading and risk is occurring.

These funds are required to support the risks associated with day-trading activities. You can trade up to four times your maintenance margin excess as of the close of business of the previous day. You should contact your brokerage firm to obtain more information on whether it imposes more stringent margin requirements.

If you exceed your day-trading buying power limitations, your brokerage firm will issue a day-trading margin call to you. Until the margin call is met, your day-trading account will be restricted to day-trading buying power of only two times maintenance margin excess based on your daily total trading commitment. Day trading in a cash account is generally prohibited. Day trades can occur in a cash account only to the extent the trades do not violate the free-riding prohibition of Federal Reserve Board's Regulation T.

In general, failing to pay for a security before you sell the security in a cash account violates the free-riding prohibition. If you free-ride, your broker is required to place a day freeze on the account. No, the rule applies to all day trades, whether you use leverage margin or not.

For example, many options contracts require that you pay for the option in full. As such, there is no leverage used to purchase the options. Nonetheless, if you engage in numerous options transactions during the day you are still subject to intra-day risk. You may not be able to realize the profit on the transaction that you had hoped for and may indeed incur substantial loss due to a pattern of day-trading options.

Again, the day-trading margin rule is designed to require that funds be in the account where the trading and risk is occurring. Can I withdraw funds that I use to meet the minimum equity requirement or day-trading margin call immediately after they are deposited?

No, any funds used to meet the day-trading minimum equity requirement or to meet any day-trading margin calls must remain in your account for two business days following the close of business on any day when the deposit is required.

Frequently Asked Questions Why the change? Were investors given an opportunity to comment on the rules?